Chapter 18
The next morning, after a night of battle.....
"G, wake up G!" Elraven tried to wake his friend who was sleeping in one of the trees.
"Hey, it's morning already!! Come on, wake up!!" He tried again to no avail. Elraven picked his Black Rose, and aim it to the branch George was sleeping.
"BANG!!"
"Ouch!" George screamed when he landed in the ground. "What did you do that for? You woke me like Olivia did!!".
"Well, I shouted a dozen times but the only replies I got was your menacing grunts!! I couldn't even tell the difference between you grunts and my Gatling gun's shooting!!"
"What? That...that's cruel you know?!"
"Whatever!! We should get to the fun house before more soldiers come for us! Now!" Elraven stated as he goes to the gambling house followed by his still mad champion friend. But when they arrived at the house, they found the old man they met yesterday was seen sitting in front of the front door.
"Hello there, pops. What are you doing sitting like that?" Elraven greeted the old man.
"What am I doing? This is because of you brats the house is no longer open. Thanks a lot, dumb dumb!!"
The two friend shocked to hear the respond.
"No longer open? The fun house is closed? Why? Although, I definitely can't see anyone but you here,pops"
"Well,what to say? Yesterday a bunch of idiotic brats came and challenged the owner of this place to a bet. Unfortunately, one of them not only bested the owner but also humiliated him. So, he decided to close this place for good starting from last night!! And I guess you know who are the idiotic brats I'm talking about, hm?!" The old man responded angrily.
Elraven and George didn't reply. They quickly ran away from that place before something violent happens. After they feel they were far enough from the house, George start complaining.
"OK, hot shot! What are we going to do now? We can't get the pass cause the house is down thanks to you!
"Me? ME?!! I planned a little war and managed to give us the victory, now you blame me? How do I know the owner is a real loser?! This is not my fault!!"
"Well, you better come up with something good, and you better be fast!! Or else we can't catch up with Alexandria and the others. Didn't you remember she said she won't start the plan without us? The longer we are here, the longer the plan will start, Angel of Darkness!!"
"Ow, man!! You didn't need to remind me about that!! I'll think of something, just give me....30 minutes, OK?"
"Ok. But, I bet if that Frea girl is here, you'll come up with a plan in 5 seconds because she will pump you up, and down!! Wahahahahahhaha!!"
"Quiet!! Quiet!!! I'm trying to think here!!!"
"OK. Sorry about that, hehehehe."
The two friend didn't notice, not far away from them, a brown short haired female Stalker is watching them carefully. "Hm, which should I pick as my victim first? The black haired or the green haired?" She smirked.
"Ah, the green haired seems fine!" She thought to herself as she dashed in a demon speed towards the two.
In a matter of second, she already appeared in front of George and Elraven, who were surprised to find her so sudden. "Who are.." But before George could react, the stalker gave him a 'strip weapon', knocking of his knuckles. "Snatcher!" She shouted as she stole some zenny coins from George.
"She? What the?". The stalker quickly jumped to the trees. "Thank you for the zenny coins, whahahahahahha" She said as she goes away.
"El! She stole my money! We have to catch her!" George said as he picked his knuckles and chased the girl.
"For god sake!!" Elraven protested as he followed George.
The two chased the Stalker abruptly. She was so fast, in just a matter of minute they lost track of her.
"Oh, no! We lost her! Good grief!!" George grunted in distress.
"Ow, please! First the pass! Now the money!! I bet the next is George's virginity!! Why do we have so much trouble today?!! God, help us!!" Elraven shouted in despair. He suddenly wanted someone to help him right now.
"My virginity?! What does my virginity have anything to do with this?!! How dare you, El! How about your virginity?!
"Who said I'm a virgin, G?"
"Huh? You're not a...V?"
The two fell into a deep silence for a moment.
"Is that important, G? Shouldn't we look for some way to get your money or to get another pass, now?"
"Oh yeah, right. Let's talk about your virginity later on. I wonder what should we do now?"
" I'm tired of this mess from the morning. We didn't even have a chance to eat. Let's find something to eat shall we?"
"OK. Lets go to the river to find some fishes and water"
"Roger that"
The two went to the river to find something to eat, they were too tired from the problems they got the whole morning. They had a breakfast with fishes as the menu.
"So, what are we going to do, now? Do you have any idea how we should enter the town? Do you think the soldiers won't be suspicious at us? I mean, we screwed 15 dozens soldiers last night, you know?"
"No, they won't. I killed whoever came for us last night. We didn't leave a single witness, that's why I killed all of them, every single one. Even the people you just knocked down, I gave them the taste of my Gatling. I don't want them to make the job harder for us in the future" Elraven replied while readjusting his purple glasses and drink some water. George looks like he wants to ask something but he couldn't come up with the right words.
"....El, I know maybe....this will...make you offended. Bu, no hard feelings OK? I want to ask you something, if you don't mind".
"Easy, G. Ask!"
"How did you feel when...you kill people? Proud? Satisfied? Anything?"
"Huh? What kind of question is that?"
"Please, just answer"
"This is a war you know, a freaking war, didn't you ever kill people before?"
"No, my knuckles can't kill people. Me and Olivia only killed monsters. Honestly, not even Alexandria or Felicia eager to kill the Valdomir soldiers."
"And why is that?"
"Because, deep inside they are midgard's people, Valdomir only used them as tools, pawns they called as soldiers."
"Are you trying to say...Alexandria and Felicia didn't kill people?"
"No, no. They did. But, I thought they didn't like doing it. Especially Alexandria, she could pray all night long after she won a war, begging forgiveness, because she...thought she killed the people she should protect. The last war we won before we met you, had her challenged the enemies personal bodyguard so she could avoid more casualties. Both for us and the Valdomirs."
"Unbelievable."
"Yes, and she also provided us with a plan which could...well, avoid as much casualties as possible. Honestly, she even asked me to watch you last night and tell her later if you...kill any of the soldiers."
"Are you trying to say my actions weren't necessary? Are you trying to say it was wrong that I killed 15 dozens soldiers by my own hands to ensure our safety?"
"No,no. It was just...not only Alexandria, but I think the entire Sagramore is having a hard feelings fighting their own people, I was just...surprised to see you killed people easily without any sign of regretting it."
"...OK, I see your point."
"...So your answer, Angel of Darkness?"
"How did I feel? I felt...."
"What? You felt what?"
"Nothing. Nothing at all."
"Nothing? What do you mean nothing?"
"Well, nothing means I didn't think it was wrong for me to kill them."
"Didn't you fell...guilty at all?"
"Honestly, no. Because, I believe if you ready to kill someone you must ready to lose your life as well."
A strict answer from the gunslinger silenced the champion.
"So, any other things you would like to ask, G?"
"No, that's enough."
"Well, now that means I have some times to...wait, what's that behind you?"
"Huh?" George looked back to his behind and found an injured Drops crying.
"A drops? Why is he crying?" George picked the drops up.
"Hey, El. He's injured, he has a long scratch in his body, spilling some bloods. I'll heal him."
George chant his healing spell and healed the drops.
"Wow, you can do heal? Is that why you didn't die so easily last night?"
"Well, yeah. I'm an acolyte before I'm a champion, you know?" George replied as he finished healing the drops. "OK, I'm done." The drops smiled to George. "Poi poi" he shouted happily.
"Good, but I wonder where did this drops come from?" Suddenly the two heard a woman shouted.
"Willy!! Willy! Where are you, honey?!"
"Honey? Hey, that voice!"
Suddenly, the thief stalker appeared from the woods, she looks worried. "Ah, Willy I found you. But, hey...you are..".
"Hey, George! It's the thief stalker!!"
"Right!! What do you want now, thief?"
"What? What are you doing holding my Willy??"
"Poi!"
"Your Willy? So this is your pet, huh?"
"Yes, right. Give him back to me!!"
"No, not before you give us our money back!!"
"Poi?"
"No way. A thief won't give back her things."
Elraven feel irritated about the fight. He quickly pulled his Tristan and grab Willy the drops, aiming the Tristan to him, much to the shocked of George and the stalker.
"OK, miss. Now, you give us our money back or else, I'll blow this drops off!!"
"NOOOO!! Willy!! Oh, please don't do that!!"
"Hey, hey, El! You don't need to go that far buddy, come on, put that big gun of yours down, shall we?"
"POI! POI!"
The situation got more tense, when suddenly...
"Oh my, oh my. What are you doing here, Wendy? Kirigi has been looking for you." Frea appeared from the woods.
"Leader!!" The Stalker shouted happily seeing the soul linker.
"What? Leader? What leader?" George asked in confuse.
"Miss Frea?" Elraven surprisingly shouted.
"POI!"
"Hm, that voice...Elraven?"
"Leader, what's happening? Who are these two guys?! And where the hell have you been, Wendy?!!" Kirigi came into the mess. The mess frustrated George.
"What the hell is going on here? CAN SOMEONE PLEASE EXPLAIN??!!"
George's shouting silence the whole people. Frea asked the people there to calm themselves down and slowly telling her what has happened.
"So, Wendy stole your money, and on her way back she lost her drops. You two, who were
having a breakfast here, found the injured Willy and healed him." The soul linker stated after she heard the whole story.
"Yes, pretty much like that" George ensured.
"Oh, I see. Than you for finding and healing Willy. I'm very sorry that I stole your money. Here, you can have it back" The Stalker named Wendy apologized and give the zenny coins back to George.
"Apology accepted" The champion responded, accepting the money back.
"Poi!" Willy jumped into Wendy's grab.
"Now, everyone's happy. Where are the other two girls tagging along with you, Elraven?" Frea asked the gunslinger who was staring at her face.
"Huh, oh. They....we used the pass to let them enter the town. I and George decided to wait till today to win another pas, but the fun house is closed."
"Wow, how unfortunate! But, if you want, you can come inside the town with us."
"What? Really?" Elraven asked in disbelieve.
"Wait, wait! Leader, please wait!" Kirigi barged into the conversation.
"Leader, they are strangers! Why are you letting them in?" The ninja whispered to Frea.
"No, Elraven helped me yesterday when I got lost and had myself a problem at the fun house! I'll have to repay his kindness!" The soul linker insisted. Kirigi didn't feel like to debate her decision further. So, he stepped back.
"Well, yes. You can come along with my men, Elraven."
"Your men? OK, please explain to me first, miss Frea. Why are the ninja and Wendy called you leader?"
"Because I'm their leader, of course!!"
"What leader?"
"Oh, you don't know? Well, I'll just explain then. We are Palamedes, a group of mercenaries consisted of ninjas, stalkers, and taekwon masters. I'm Frea, the leader of Palamedes. Once again, nice to meet you Elraven" The soul linker explained happily.
"What? Palamedes? One of the strongest mercenary group in Midgard? What are they doing here? Wait, don't tell me...they have allied themselves with Valdomir?" George silently thought to himself.
"Oh, I see. And how are you exactly going to get us in?" Elraven asked again.
"Well, we have agreed for a talk about being a reinforcements for Lethe Guild, who rules the land of Payon. So, we'll go inside the town today. You and your friend can come along with us. We'll drop you once we get inside the town" Frea explained with a smile.
"Oh my god, I was right!" George thought to himself again.
"Oh, thank you. How can I repay this kindness?" Elraven asked politely.
"What? No, no. You don't need to do anything, this is the only thing I can do after you helped me yesterday and even gave me a million zenny."
"OK, but I insist."
Frea fell into silence, as Wendy slowly approached Kirigi.
"Kirigi, is it just me or they look somewhat close?"
"Well, that Elraven guy couldn't stop staring at our leader's face. And our leader seems so eager to be with him. So, no, it's not just you."
"OK. If you insist, I..think I know how you can repay me." Frea finally came up with an idea.
"Really? How?"
"A dance."
"Dance?"
"Yes, at the Dano festival 3 days from now. If you promise me a dance, we're even."
"Well then, it's on."
With the deal settled, the Palamedes brought George and Elraven to their group. Without knowing what awaits them at Payon.
****
Sorry if this chapter bores the hell out of you, but I tried to make some refreshments for both the readers and myself, since I wrote 2 battles in the last 3 chapters and I guess if I wrote too much battle I couldn't develop the story and I'll run out of battle ideas. So, I decided to pull the battle off for at least 1 more chapters to build the story in Payon.
Anyway, thanks for reading. Hope you enjoy it. And if you don't mind, please R & R. See u next chap!^^